| You've mastered windows, got to grips
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| | can't afford this sort of overhead. Setup
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| with games and put paid to your word
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| | software might be scarce or non-existent
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| processor problems. The next challenge is
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| | and there's unlikely to be any sort of
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| the internet. It's one giant leap for
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| | dedicated support line. And if an ISP
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| mankind, one small step for you.
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| | doesn't offer internet access on a local
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| How Does it Work?
| |
| | phone number, forget it. In addition to
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| The internet is a massive world wide
| |
| | all this, a decent ISP might offer free
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| collection of computers, connected
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| | web space, multiple email addresses, and
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| together in a huge network. Any type of
| |
| | other goodies like automatic filtering of
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| computer can be connected to the network,
| |
| | junk email. On the whole, you get what
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| as long as it speaks the universal
| |
| | you pay for.
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| internet language, TCP/IP.
| |
| | Modems Explained.
|
| Using a home computer like an Apple Mac
| |
| | There used to be a time when buying a
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| or a PC, you can become a temporary part
| |
| | modem was fraught with worry and
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| of this network by signing up with an
| |
| | technical difficulty. Nowadays, it's hard
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| internet service provider (ISP). An ISP
| |
| | to buy a PC, without a modem already
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| is a company that has fast, direct
| |
| | fitted. What a modem does is enable your
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| internet connections, and which can act
| |
| | PC to exchange data with other computers
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| as a gateway for you. In return for a
| |
| | - whether it's your mate's down the road
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| monthly or yearly fee, the ISP enables
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| | or a machine on the internet - over the
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| you to use a modem attached to your
| |
| | phone line. But as we all know, the data
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| computer to dial up and connect to its
| |
| | your PC produces is digital bits and
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| computers, which in turn connect you to
| |
| | bytes, and only analogue signals can be
|
| the internet. As a result you can access
| |
| | transmitted over the phone line. This
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| the world wide web, send messages to
| |
| | means that for the data to get out of
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| newsgroups, and get an email address that
| |
| | your machine and onto the internet, it
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| enables you to exchange email with other
| |
| | needs to be converted from digital to
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| users.
| |
| | analogue and then back again. And that's
|
| Choosing an Internet Service Provider
| |
| | what a modem does. It modulates the
|
| There are more than 150 internet service
| |
| | outgoing digital signals produced by your
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| providers (ISP's) to choose between, from
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| | PC, turning them into analogue ones, then
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| local one man band outfits to global
| |
| | demodulates the incoming analogue signals
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| services run by the likes of UUnet. It's
| |
| | to turn them back into a digital one.
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| probably best not to opt for a small,
| |
| | Now you know, roughly, how a modem works,
|
| local ISP. Internet access is a cut
| |
| | you can forget about it, just as you
|
| throat business and the pundits are
| |
| | probably don't care how your AWE 64 sound
|
| saying that the small guys are going to
| |
| | card produces that 3D surround sound
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| have their work cut out to avoid going
| |
| | effect. Same deal with modems. They plug
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| under.
| |
| | in, they work, they let you connect to
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| You're also more likely to get better
| |
| | the internet, play multi player games,
|
| software, better services and better
| |
| | and run up a phone bill the size of
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| technical support from a large service
| |
| | Oliver Reed's drinks tab.
|
| provider. The major ISP's have massive
| |
| | Buying a Modem
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| connections to the internet, which means
| |
| | There are still a few decisions to make
|
| they can support a very large number of
| |
| | when you get to your local modem store.
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| simultaneous users without grinding to a
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| | The fastest modems on the market for home
|
| halt. Smaller ISP's may be cheaper, but
| |
| | users promise download speeds of up to
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| they actually have to lease space from
| |
| | 56Kbps. Did you notice the 'up to'
|
| the big providers themselves, and don't
| |
| | because that's the speed achieved by
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| have nearly as much capacity to share
| |
| | these modems under
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| around. This means they're more likely to
| |
| | impossible-to-achieve-in-the-real-world
|
| have problems during busy periods, and
| |
| | laboratory conditions. In reality, when
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| they'll almost certainly have fewer
| |
| | line noise, signal quality and the phase
|
| modems, meaning more engaged signals when
| |
| | of the lunar cycle all take their toll,
|
| you dial in at peak times: a low
| |
| | the maximum realistic download speed you
|
| user-to-modem ratio is vital.
| |
| | can expect to achieve is 41-44Kbps. Oh,
|
| The large service providers can also
| |
| | and the other thing is that because of
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| afford to maintain bigger, faster
| |
| | the smart way they work, 56Kbps modems
|
| computers to handle email, usenet
| |
| | can only download data at the faster
|
| discussion groups, and so on, while small
| |
| | speed, they still have to upload at the
|
| firms might have problems in this area.
| |
| | slower, but respectable speed of 33Kbps.
|
| Finally, there's support. A good ISP will
| |
| | If you don't know which brand name to
|
| supply you with all the necessary
| |
| | choose, just toss a coin, or go for the
|
| software to get online. This software
| |
| | cheapest, or the one that offers the best
|
| should be easy to setup and use, backed
| |
| | after sales support, or the longest lead,
|
| up by 24 hour help lines if you have a
| |
| | or the prettiest plug, or the best
|
| problem. Again, some smaller ISP's just
| |
| | advert.
|
